Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTDA), Cine and TV artists Association (CINTAA), Western India Cinematographers Association (WICA), Screenwriters Association (SWA) and Association of Cine and Television Art Directors and Costume Designers have come together to express solidarity and protest against the harassment that the team of Padmavati is facing in context to the film’s release.
A media interaction was called in Mumbai on Monday. Ashoke Pandit, Sudhir Mishra, Sushant Singh, Vikram Gokhale, Rahul Rawail, Kushan Nandy, BP Singh, Amit Behl, Sukant Panigraha, Zama Habib and others were present at the event.
Doubts on the extent to which the National Award winning filmmaker has fictionalised the story, has led to a controversy with politicians, organisations and individuals raising a finger at Bhansali for “distorting history” and demanding that the release of Padmavati be stalled.
The members said that Sanjay Leela Bhansali and his team has been facing harassment from the so called flag bearer of Indian culture and saviors of our history. Many have asked for a ban on the film without seeing the film. Earlier too, for many films, these small group of people have been blackmailing filmmakers and extorting money threatening to otherwise stall the release of the film, they shared.
Pandit said, “There are five associations in the industry, we stand by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and the team of Padmavati. An attack on any filmmaker is an attack on the entire fraternity,” to which filmmaker Sudhir Mishra added, “This is an attack on our freedom.”
B P Singh, said, “Sanjay is one of the topmost directors who has made the industry proud. He will not misuse the freedom,” while Sushant Singh added, “Sanjay Leela Bhansali has not asked us for this press conference but we are doing this as our duty to fight for freedom of expression.”
“We stay in a democratic country. If Censor Board has passed the film, why is this protest happening?” said renowned Marathi and Hindi actor Vikram Gokhale.
When asked if the associations are also lending support to other films being targeted, Pandit said, “We stand for every film that is being targeted. Sanjay is symbol but our stand is for everyone.”
Padmavati stars Shahid Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone and is slated to release on December 1.
